MOOL - Season 6 Episode Recaps

[Ty Junior]

EPISODE 286 - Chapter Premiere

« Alexander took his daughter's advice to heart and tried to smooth things over with Kyle (his son) at Kyle and Lacreasha's engagement party. Lacreasha, however, wasn't buying Alexander's sudden change of heart and counteracted his attempts every step of the way. Alexander assured her that she and Kyle would see that he meant business. « Sherri told Romain that the ship for their romance has long sailed, leading Romain to inquire about her fixation on the fact that he was kissing her sister. When she finally cracked down and admitted that she wished it were her he had kissed instead of Sandy, Romain was hopeful that they could resurrect their relationship. However, Sherri cut the final string by announcing that she could not "sweep all the lies and distrust under the rug."

« Sandy found it difficult to comprehend Mitchell's sudden marriage to Akeira Smith Santana. He explained to her that things seemed finish between them when he left Hallandale and it was easier to move on with Akeira since they both were at crossroads in their lives. Sandy was shocked and believed the Mitchell she knew to be gone. When she asked him if he was in love with Akeira, he confirmed that he did. She was skeptical, however, and tried to remind him of the passion they once shared. Although part of Mitchell was tempted to give in, he reminded his ex- that he was committed to his family with Akeira and Roy. Sandy then questioned whether or not Mitchell would be as committed to Akeira if his father's namesake weren't in the picture.

« Earl and Matthew had some much missed brotherly moments in his hospital bedroom. Earl encouraged Matthew not to wait long before telling Dana how he felt. Matthew admitted there was something between him and Dana, but right now wasn't the best time to act on it.

EPISODE 287

guest starring: Viggo Mortensen [Daniel Mayfield]
« Matthew and Dana took a walk outside of the hospital, where she gained some perspective about her missing brother, Brock. She was finally able to convince herself that Brock would be alright where ever he was. The gloom and doom moment soon passed back to Matthew, who wondered how long it would be before his brother's body rebelled against its battle with Blackadder36 virus.

« Meanwhile, Samantha found herself stranded with Dr. Daniel Mayfield after his car broke down on the way to the Azalean Garden. She was quite suspicious of the turn of events considering Daniel was opposed to her going there in the first place, but Daniel maintained that he did not plan for his car to stall, and had every intention on getting her to the garden. Samantha wasn't buying, and proceeded to walk to the nearest Hotel since there was no sign of help coming anytime soon. She arrived at the Hotel still peeved at Daniel and was even more displease to learn that they would have to share a suite.

« Derek made it clear to his wife, Shalia, that Shanna's accusations were not going to end until Ben was found. Shalia voiced her concern to Derek that Shanna could influence Ben to say that she was involved with his disappearance, but Derek refused to believe that possibility. Shanna, meanwhile, received comfort from Andrew Stokes. He told her to remain strong for Ben because he would be back soon. Shanna later thanked him for his continued support. Once out of sight, Andrew made a secret call confirming whether or not a mysterious plan was set to happen.

« The newly arrived Morgan Hysterias bought Mindy another cup of coffee after she spilled her first one on his shirt. The two then sat down and got to know one another, although Mindy had a hard time getting Morgan to divulge much.

EPISODE 288

« Malina and Lacreasha discussed their thoughts on Alexander's sudden change of heart. While Malina was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, Lacreasha could not get past all the pain that Alexander had afflicted on Kyle. She's convinced that Alexander has an ulterior motive for wanting to patch things up. Kyle and Anton, meanwhile, started loading the unopened gifts from the party into Kyle's car. While loading the gifts, Anton took the opportunity to ask Kyle it feels to be an engaged man. The question soon set off red flags and Kyle wandered aloud if Anton was considering proposing to Malina. Anton confirmed that he had given the "Big M" some consideration, but wasn't sure it was the next step for him and Malina.

« Rochelle met Liam Jackson outside of Cypress Palace, where he sat her down and inquired about her trip to Coral Springs. She told him that it was very tense, primarily because she learned that her mother had married Dean Stone's father. Liam was equally shocked by the reveal, and found it to be almost incestuous. Rochelle, however, failed to acknowledge the validity of the remark- that Dean was her brother. However, she was haunted by the fact and her recollections of Leonard Stone's murder.

« Romain began to ask himself why he has been holding out hope for him and Sherri. The internal questioning led him to realize that he has been chasing a figment of his imagination: Sherri is no longer the woman he fell in love with. She, too, bitterly acknowledges that he isn't the man she fell in love with. Which leads Romain to the painful choice to end all ties (emotionally, mentally and physically) with Sherri. He tells her that they both need to let go and as she angrily tells him to "just go," he pulls her in for one final kiss, then bids her farewell. Later that evening, Sherri found herself wandering aimlessly around the empty restaurant while Romain arrived on her sister's doorstep. Nothing happened, however. After he ensured Sandy was okay, Romain left her condo.

EPISODE 289

guest starring: Viggo Mortensen [Dr. Daniel Mayfield]; Margarita Cordova [Madame Isabel]
« Samantha received a disturbing warning from Madame Isabel about her pursuit of the Azalea Garden. Convinced that Madame Isabel was working for Daniel Mayfield, Samantha tried to ignore the fortuneteller's warnings. However, Madame Isabel told Samantha that she was right not to trust Daniel. When Daniel finally got down to the hotel lobby, Samantha had disappeared... hitchhiking a ride to the Azalea Garden.

« Malina and Shaquanna put together a photo shoot for Garrettlyn Michaels outside of Garden Ridges Park. Garrettlyn's shoot attracted a mob of fans (the male persuasian), including Romeo Sullivan. Following the shoot, Malina met Hallandale's newest mysterious arrival, Morgan Hysterias. Morgan told Malina that he was very impressed with the follow through of Nichols' concept of "Liberation" since he orginally believed that H&B had a leg up on the competition. Malina expressed her gratitude by inviting Morgan to the spring show.

« While paying Jennifer a visit, Nia finally met the infamous Dylan McCloud, although she didn't realize who he was until later. Meanwhile, Jennifer tried to make sense of her love life and how everything got so complicated between her and Romeo, as well as her and Brian. Nia suggested that Jennifer take control of the relationship before Romeo comes knocking on her door again.

« Widlin is once again summoned to her father's office, where she noticed a change in decor. Alexander explained that he had an epiphany and wants to start putting his family first. Although Widlin tried to remain tough-hearted against his words, she ultimately caved in and decided to give him one final chance. Once gone, Alexander simply marked, "One down, one more to go."

EPISODE 290

« Sandy ran into Dr. Romain Chandler at the hospital while he was making rounds. The two briefly discussed his awkward visit last night before he made the bold choice of asking her out. Although hesitant at first because of her sister, Sandy agreed to take Romain up on his offer. Meanwhile, Mitchell was questioned by his new wife (Akeira) concerning his relationship with Sandy. Mitchell maintained that he and Sandy were over, and that he was committed to his marriage.

« At El Club de Moniasis, Anton tracked down Kyle and informed him of a lead in the Ben Hemmings' disappearance case. Lacreasha, who later joined the two, wondered if Anton should be placing his trust in his source. Rochelle and Liam also arrived at the club to have lunch, despite Rochelle not feeling the vibe of the club... until she spied Lacreasha with Kyle and Anton. It wasn't long before Liam caught on and called her on it.

« Malina and Shaquanna headed back to their headquarters. While Malina was looking over some proofs the photographer had developed of Garrett, Shaquanna tended to a secret phone call, where an undisclosed voice urged her to "stop dragging her feet and get things in order." Malina, who walked into the end of Shaquanna's call, asked Shaquanna what was going on. Shaquanna confessed that a family emergency would be driving her out of Hallandale following the spring show. Malina presumed it would be short-term, but Shaquanna made it clear she had no intention on returning to Hallandale and wanted Malina to take over Nichols' Beauticon.

[Ty Junior]

EPISODE 291

guest starring: Viggo Mortensen [Daniel Mayfield]
« At the Moniasis Club, Anton is unable to shake a bad vibe when Malina is late for her lunch date with Lacreasha. On the other side of the club, Liam walked out on Rochelle after realizing she was not completely invested in their date. Steamed over Liam's departure, Rochelle and Lacreasha got into an altercation in the lady's room. Meanwhile, Shaquanna Nichols informed Malina that she would like Malina to take over Nichol's Beauticon when she leaves after the spring show. Although Malina initially declines the offer, things are left up in the air when Anton calls and reminds Malina of her lunch date.

« Earl tried to convince his brother to tell Dana how he really feels about her. When Matthew refused, Earl decides to take matters into his own hands by recruiting Evelin to help him bring his brother and Dana together.  Meanwhile, Samantha continued her search for the antidote to Blackadder36 in the Azalea Garden, where she was met up again by Dr. Daniel Mayfield. Daniel tried to convince her that he came in peace, but Samantha insisted that the helpful thing for him to do would be to stay out of her way. Daniel ultimately decided to follow after her and stumbled upon her just as she was about to extract the antidote from the azalea plant.

« Jessica decided to pay her best friend, Shanna, a long overdue visit. The visit was appreciated as Shanna voiced her frustrations over the lack of progress in her husband's disapperance case and her suspicions of Shalia Guittierrez's involvement in her husband's disapperance. Shalia and her husband, meanwhile, enjoyed an unprecedented afternoon making out at the Moniasis Club. As they were about to leave the club, Derek received news that Ben was dead.

EPISODE 292

guest starring: Viggo Mortensen [Daniel Mayfield]; Teresa Hill [Kaitlin Mathurn]
« Derek shared the news of Ben's plane crash with Shalia and Shanna. Shalia was stunned and confronted her cohort, Andrew Stokes, regarding his involvement in Ben's fatal plane crash. Andrew informed Shalia that he was simply getting rid of a problem that she wanted dealt with. Meanwhile, while attempting to come to terms with her husband's death in the company of her best friend (Jessica) and Derek, Shanna suggested that Ben's mysterious plane crash might not have happened if it hadn't been for Derek's wife. Derek, of course, defended his wife and angered Shanna in the process. Furious for Derek's blind commitment to his wife, Shanna blamed Derek for her husband's death.

« Evelin, despite her better judgment and belief that Dana and Matthew could handle their own personal affairs, agreed to help Earl set up his brother and Dana. When Evelin realized that she would have to lie to Matthew to get the plan to work, she agreed only on the condition that Earl not involve her in anymore of his schemes. Confident that he wouldn't need to, he ushered her alone while waiting around the corner. While Dana tended to a phone call from Ralph, Evelin entered St. Christ Cathedral to find Matthew alone. She handed him a note, stating that a nurse in the lobby instructed her to give it to him. When Matthew read the note, he was puzzled that it was from Dana telling him to meet her downstairs. Although Evelin tried to explain it away, Matthew decided to give Dana a call to make sure, much to Evelin's liking.

« Daniel tried to convince Samantha that he was her best bet at extracting the antidote from the azalea plant. However, Samantha refused to trust a word that came out of his mouth, and proceeded to handle the task herself. Attempting to stop her from making a dastardly mistake, he lunged at Samantha, causing her hand to slip and one of fingers to be cut on the root of the azalea. Daniel reacted visibly concerned and told Samantha she should get that checked out immediately. Samantha saw it as another ploy to get her away from the azalea garden and told him she was not leaving without the antidote. In a speedy fashion, Daniel extracted the antidote into a test tube and handed it to her. Samantha was happy to have what she believed was the antidote, but that didn't mean she trusted Daniel Mayfield as far as she could throw him. As they left the garden together, Samantha saw the fortuneteller from earlier this morning once again. The fortuneteller told Samantha that she did not heed her warnings, and that she hoped there would still be time for her. Daniel interrupted before Samantha could say much else, and by the time Samantha averted her attention back to where the fortuneteller was standing, she had disappeared, leaving her cryptic message to linger in Samantha's head.

« Crystal confided in Mindy about her recurring nightmares, leaving out the details regarding a dead body at Leysdale Hospital. Later, the two ladies discussed ideas for Crystal's second annual masquerade gala. Billy, meanwhile, met with a business associate from Luxury Industries (LI) - Kaitlin Mathurn - regarding the new changes for Fantasy Inc. However, he soon learned that Fantasy's financial backer had plans of their own, now that a new CEO was at the helm.

EPISODE 293

« In light of Shalia's suspicions regarding his motives, Andrew reminded his cohort why she wanted Ben gone in the first place.  When she revealed that she wasn't sure she could live with the fact that Ben was dead because of her, Andrew advised her to focus on the bigger picture -- a clear shot to a future with Derek.  Meanwhile, Jessica was forced to intervene as tensions rose between Derek and Shanna.  After being reminded that Ben would want him and Shanna to stick together at a time like this, Derek chose to overlook Shanna's accusation and left her to Jessica's care.  Later that night, he spied his wife leaving another man's (Andrew Stokes) home.

« Evelin was able to talk Matthew out of calling Dana ahead of time about their "planned" meeting.  Dana, who arrived a few minutes before Matthew, was about to leave when he showed up.  By the time the two realized the arrangement was a set-up orchestrated by Earl and Evelin, it was too late.  Matthew and Dana were trapped like rats.  When Dana began questioning why Earl would want them locked in the room together, Matthew was forced to bite the bullet and admit that he was falling in love with her.  To his surprise, Dana reciprocated his feelings and the two embraced in a kiss.  Meanwhile, Earl's condition took a turn for the worse.

« Sandy and Romain enjoy a night cap at her place, where they debate over the logistics of happily ever after.

EPISODE 294

guest starring: Teresa Hill [Kaitlin Mathurn]
« Rochelle and Liam reconciled after she apologized for her childish behavior at the club the other night.  Later, Rochelle tried to talk to Dean sister to brother after learning that he was still pestering Liam about the sentencing in their brother's murder trial.  Unfortunately, there was little she could say to convince him that he should move on and accept the punishment that their brother's killer had been given.

« Jennifer told Romeo she was willing to give their relationship a second chance.  However, there was one stipulation: they were to keep things strictly platonic around the mansion.  Romeo quietly wondered if the stipulation was due to her roommate's (Brian) increasing discomfort with his and Jennifer's relationship.  Nonetheless, he accepted Jennifer's terms.

« Matthew and Dana are eventually rescued from the locked hospital room by Dana's brother, Brock.  Dana opts not to divulge the details of how they became captive in the hospital room, instead, inquiring about her brother's search for Samantha.  Brock informed them that his search was a dead end.  Dana and Matthew tried their best to assure him that Samantha was okay, wherever she was.  Later that evening, Dana's tarot cards predicted sudden change, downfall and/or revelation.

« Billy encountered opposition as he attempted to find out who was pulling the strings behind luxury industries. After attempting to knock out a guard, Billy found himself being manhandled by said guard until his friend Kaitlin came to the rescue.  Billy informed her that he wanted to find out why this new CEO was pulling out of Fantasy Inc.  Realizing he would not back down, Kaitlin offered to talk to Mr. Hysterias.  Lo and behold, she was able to convince Morgan to meet with Billy.

EPISODE 295

guest starring: Teresa Hill [Kaitlin Mathurn]
« Jessica accompanied Shanna to Hallandale PD Headquarters to see Ben's dead body.  Ralph cautioned Shanna about letting her last memory of her husband be the sight of him on a cold, dry slab.  Shanna, however, insisted on seeing her husband's body.  Once Ralph showed her the body, he decided the best thing he could was leave her alone to say her good-byes.  As she looked over her husband's unrecognizable body for something familiar, she saw a tattoo with "S&B forever" inscribed on his lower abdomen.  The fact that it was still vibrant in the face of his lifeless body brought tears to her eyes.  Meanwhile, a curious Jessica began probing Ralph for answers regarding Ben's plane crash.

« Concerned about Danielle, Brett arrived at the modeling studio, much to Michelle's surprise.  Danielle, however, was busy taking a very active role in her shoot with Lucien.  It became clear later on when Lucien was talking with Danielle about their shoot that he was rather taken aback by her very loose behavior in front of the camera.  Lucien's indifference left her rather concerned, especially after her sister also remarked later on that she seemed a little different.  Later that evening, Brett informed Danielle that he caught Vanessa lurking outside her dressing room.

« Morgan attempted to explain his reasons to Billy for backing out on Fantasy, but every word that came out of his mouth read like diplomatic garbage.  Of course, it also didn't help that Morgan was attacking his leadership and knew practically everything about him while Morgan remained just a blank name to him.  After Billy left, Kaitlin attempted to convince Morgan to give Billy's company another chance, but she was quickly reminded why they simply can't afford to do that.

« Brock joyously informed his sister that Samantha called and informed him that she was on her way back home.  Dana took the news as a sign that things were finally starting to look up, not aware that Earl's condition had took a turn for the worse.  The two then discussed his plans to whisk Samantha off to a romantic get-a-way, followed by a discussion about the seriousness of her and Matt.  Meanwhile, Matthew received a visit from the "Voice of Dream" (VOD), who warned him that great pain was coming and that it was too late for him to stop it.  As the VOD's message became more and more obscure, Matthew awoke from his nap.  Later, when he runs into Dana, he informs her of the VOD's message.  They then try to decipher the message as Dana begins to realize it is all interconnected with previous readings.  As she and Matthew watch Brock and Samantha reunite after her long absence, an inconceivable reality begins to darken Dana's thoughts.

[Ty Junior]

EPISODE 296

« Lacreasha was less than pleased when she realized that Kyle's belated engagement gifts were an extension of his father's attempt to worm his way into Kyle's life, for whatever agenda.  Frightening worse, she could see that a part of Kyle wanted to believe the bull that Alexander fed them the other night.

« Malina informed Anton that Shaquanna offered to turn the reins of Nichols' Beauticon over to her.  While Anton saw what the offer meant for her career, Malina couldn't shake the feeling that something more was driving Shaquanna's actions.  As a result, she decided to do a little snooping around in Shaquanna's office, but she was only able to find a vague datebook entry before Shaquanna caught her in the act.  Shaquanna, however, presumed that Malina was rethinking the offer to take over and told Malina how much it would mean to have someone she trusted to look after the company after she was gone.

« As Brock played catch up with his newly returned wife, Dana finally realized that the tarot readings, Crystal's visions and Matthew's visit from the VOD were all connected to one common thread-- her sister-in-law, Samantha.  Matthew wasn't sure if Dana was right in this instance, considering Samantha was just fine from their casual view. Dana, however, reminded him that his brother was in a similar situation not too long ago, and was now lying in hospital bed yet again.  The question that she continued to wrestle with was whether or not she should tell Brock.

After Samantha went off to the lab to test the antidote, Brock informed Dana and Matthew that Samantha might have acquired the cure.  The news, however, doesn't elicit quite the response Brock hoped from either of them.  As Matthew scampered off to share the news with Evelin, Brock questioned his sister about their dreary outlook. Dana told him that all the sudden good news was just taking them by surprise, not sure if she should open up the can of worms that she was sitting on, especially given Brock's feelings about her tarot cards.

« Back at Hallandale PD Headquarters, Ralph informed Jessica that Ben's plane appeared to be headed straight down the abandon field, in which it crashed.  While Jessica feared a hi-jacking situation, Ralph advised her not to let her thoughts run wild until after the CSI unit confirmed what really happened.  Unfortunately, Alexander Pierre wasted no time broadcasting a news report on Ben's plane crash, alleging that foul play was involved.  When Shanna realized that Jessica was rather tight-lipped about the circumstances, she insisted her friend tell her what she knew.  Meanwhile, Shalia tried to ease her husband's guilt after Shanna accused him of being responsible for Ben's death.  Ironically, as Derek went on about the lost of his friend, Shalia was unable to contain her own.

EPISODE 297

« Things looked bleaked for Earl as Matthew and Evelin watched from his hospital room as the doctors and medical staff attempted to revive him.  Fortunately, the medical staff's efforts were successful.  However, due to the significant toll of the virus on Earl's body, he would need a serious blood transfusion.  On his way to donate blood, Matthew ran into Dana, Dalia and Jason.  He informed them of his brother's condition and advised Dalia and Jason to donate blood as well.  Dalia, however, insisted on seeing Earl first.  When she arrived at Earl's room, she was displeased to find Evelin there sitting at his side.  Jason wondered if something more was going on between his father and Evelin, but Dalia quickly negated the possibility.  She was further aggravated when she later found Evelin consoling Jason in the church.  Meanwhile, Dana came to the conclusion that she needed to tell Brock what she knew was coming, but she wasn't sure she had the strength.  Matthew offered to see her through it, but before they could take any measures, Brock came crashing down the halls with his unconscious wife, demanding medical assistance.

« After Liam told her he would be late for their lunch date due to a situation at the police station, Rochelle caught up with her old friend, Anton.  The two discussed the state of their romantic entanglements before Rochelle brought up the big "M".  Anton admitted to thinking about marriage a lot, especially in light of Lacreasha and Kyle's engagement party.  Rochelle became envious of the fact that Anton was warming up to Lacreasha, and almost spoiled their evening with her rash and offensive words.  Of course, Rochelle realized she was in the wrong and quickly apologized. 

Meanwhile, at Hallandale PD, Shanna was upset to learn that Ralph had been sharing details about her husband's death with Jessica.  Although Jessica tried to explain that it was merely speculation, Shanna did not appreciate Detective Lombard talking about her husband's death behind her back and demanded answers from Ralph.  With the reporter situation diffused, Liam met up with Rochelle at Cypress Plaza, only to find her making small talk with Anton.  Anton and Liam became reacquainted with one another and realized that they both grew up in Springfield, Mass.

« Lucien shared his concerns with Michelle about Danielle's behavior at today's photoshoot.  Michelle admitted that she noticed that Danielle had more of a fire to her, but it wasn't something she was prepared to get worked up over.  When she realized that Lucien was clearly bothered by her sister's "loose" and "seductive" behavior, she suggested that maybe he was experiencing a lost of dominance.  Lucien denied any such implication, and when he realized he was only sounding more like an insecure modeling partner as he went on, he dropped the subject.  Meanwhile, Brett insisted that Danielle be careful around Vanessa.

EPISODE 298 The Hallandale Weston, Part 1

guest starring: Tim McElwee [Seth Stapleton]; Donna Mills [Queen Helen DaVille]; Dylan Bruce [Adam Weston]; Nicole Pulliam [Tara Banks]
« GarrettLyn arrived early to the Hallandale Weston, anxiously anticipating her meeting with Shaquanna and Malina. However, the first person to catch her eye was Romeo Sullivan.  Romeo was happy to share with her that he and Jennifer had made a date for tonight, and that it was very well their first step towards getting back together.  Garrett found it difficult to be excited for him considering 1) Brian [her new best friend] was in love with Jennifer and 2) If it weren't for Romeo, things between her and Dylan wouldn't have went south.  Romeo, however, refused to take blame for her and Dylan's breakup, telling her she was better off without him.  He deemed Dylan too gray for her picturesque version of the ideal mate.  Tiring of his analysis, Garrett retreated for the elevators.  Unfortunately for her, Romeo followed.

« Meanwhile, Seth Stapleton, a recently terminated employee of the Hallandale Weston, was seething after receiving a severance check from his boss, Adam Weston.  Adam tried to explain away the termination as a chance for Seth to spend much deserve time with his wife and son, but Seth knew it was all because of the lies that Helen DaVille had told.  Considering Helen's wealth and power, Adam advised Seth to leave before the queen arrived.  Boiling with rage, Seth left, but he was far from through at the Hallandale Weston.  Meanwhile, Shaquanna and Malina arrived for their meeting with Garrett and the L'Oreal execs.  Unbeknowst to them, Garrett and Romeo ended up stuck in between floors on the elevator.  Seth also found his way back into the hotel, finding the woman responsible for all his troubles throwing herself at one of his former colleagues.  He was not about to let her treat a hotel he had put 20+ years into like some buffet parlor.  After the colleague scampered off in a nervous hurry, Seth was delighted to interrupt her fun, and show her that he wasn't going away because of her lies.  Despite his attempts to appeal to her sense of decency [she didn't have any], Queen DaVille refused to recant her story.  As far as she was concerned, he turned down a once in a lifetime opportunity of guilt-free sex and it was too little, too late to get her to do his bidding.  Seth, however, begged to differ and pulled a gun out on the woman. 

« At Cypress Gardens Park, Shalia and Derek were enjoying the sweet taste of ice cream before being ambushed by a reporter [Tara Banks] from Past Relations Chronicles looking for a comment from the married couple concerning the allegations that Ben's plane crash wasn't an accident.  While Derek wanted to throttle the woman, Shalia sought to get rid of her without the use of violence.  Unfortunately for Shalia, Tara knew all about the subjects she was interviewing and was quick to bring up Shalia's antagonistic relationship with Ben.  Although Derek tried his best to shoot down the reporter's attack on Shalia, Tara's triumphant exit left neither of them with a good feeling.  Back at Hallandale PD Headquarters, Ralph waited with an impatient Shanna in his office for the CSI unit to call with their findings on Ben's plane crash.  When the wait became too long, Ralph phoned into the CSI team and learned that the cockpit recorder had been located.  Hearing the events that led up to the necessary crash landing of her husband's plane took it's toll on Shanna.  While her mind filled with nagging thoughts about her husband's final moments, Ralph handed her Ben's cell phone, which remained nearly intact after the crash.  Inside, there was a text message from Ben to her.  Apparently, he never got to send it, but it was proof that he was thinking of her in the end.

[Ty Junior]

EPISODE 299 - The Hallandale Weston, Part 2

guest starring: Tim McElwee [Seth Stapleton]; Donna Mills [Queen Helen DaVille]; Dylan Bruce [Adam Weston]
« As Seth's warning shot rung through the Hallandale Weston, GarrettLyn and Romeo's bickering came to a stilt as they made out the faint sound of footsteps retreating from the hotel.  Adam was dismayed to find Seth at the center of it all and tried to convince him to back down while Shaquanna tried to warn Malina that there was a gunmen in the hotel so they could make their escape.  Malina, however, felt they had a moral obligation to stay.  Shaquanna disagreed, but tried to appease Malina's attack of conscience by telling her that someone from the outside more than likely contacted the authorities.  Meanwhile, Seth refused to hear Adam out, turning his gun-yielding hand to Helen DaVille, who he felt had the power to stop all of this with the truth.  Helen, however, chose to stick to her guns while Seth began to brush his against the side of her head.  While he delighted in the sight of her quivering, Shaquanna and Malina tried to make their daring escape.  Unfortunately, Seth caught sight of them and refused to let them leave.  Shaquanna reminded him that he had been seen by several guests holding that gun, all of who managed to fly out of here.  It was ridiculous for him to believe the authorities hadn't been notified.  Adam saw the moment as a chance to convince Seth to stop all this and hand over the gun.  Seth was close to doing so, but then he realized that they all saw Helen as the victim when it was he who had been wronged.  He informed Adam and company that he would not risk his position at the hotel for a piece of jewelry.  That it was all a setup by Queen DaVille because he wouldn't sleep with her.  When all eyes shifted to her for a follow-up to Seth's allegations, Helen was saved from admission by the sound of Hallandale PD surrounding the building.

« Back at Leysdale Hospital, Robin and Jay arrived for their baby's regular check-up. Robin's obstetrician informed the expectant couple that their son was doing well.  Jay took a liking to the news that he and his wife were going to be the proud parents of a baby boy in a few months.  Unfortunately, good news was in short supply at the hospital as Ralph came to his sister's aide after finishing up with Shanna Hemmings at the police station.  She informed him that the doctors were still clueless about what happened to Samantha, and that she was afraid for both Samantha and their brother.  Ralph found her lack of optimism discerning, but when Brock returned from his wife's side, Dana's faith seemed to return, if not for the sole sake of reassuring Brock.  Meanwhile, Jay and Robin shared the sex of their child with Delilah.  Although envious, Delilah expressed her happiness for the couple before inadvertently putting a damper on the moment by bringing up the news of Samantha's critical condition.  While news that they officially ruled out blackadder36 as the cause of Samantha's sudden illness brought about some hope, not knowing what the toxin was still worried Delilah.  Jay suggested they all band together to support Samantha and her family.

« Things didn't seem to be boding well for Earl either as Romain informed Matthew that he had to make a decision on whether or not to administer the antidote that Samantha secured, or wait and hope that his brother was able to withstand the odds?  Matthew wasn't entirely sure what he should do, and asked for Evelin's input, much to the disapproval of Dalia.  Evelin appreciated Matthew entrusting her opinion, but didn't feel it was a decision she should weigh on.  However, she told him he would have her support no matter what he decided.  His nephew, Jason, second the notion.

« At Lincoln Manners Resort, Rochelle and Liam tracked down Anton at his apartment after he left his cell phone at the plaza.  As a show of thanks, he invited them in for drinks.  Liam, however, barely got to touch his before having to excuse himself after being called away to oversee a rescue attempt being made at the Hallandale Weston.  Rochelle accompanied him while Anton finally enjoyed the peace and quiet of his home for about two seconds.  He received an urgent call from Leigh and made a quick exit from his apartment.  Meanwhile, Queen DaVille informed Seth that his game of terror was over and that he needed to surrender.  He had ample opportunity to shoot her and he passed.  If he walked away now, she might be willing to speak on his behalf.  The fact that she was toying with his life even now sent him into a fit of rage, as his struck the pistol across her face.  As Queen DaVille came to, her hazy sight took a minute to adjust, but she soon realized she was still at the barrel of Seth's gun and finally admitted in a fit of desperation that she did what he accused her of.  However, it came off more coerce than self-admission, and he insisted that she pronounce it loud and proud for everyone in the hotel to hear.  However, before Queen DaVille could speak, Garrett and Romeo's elevator managed to make its way back down to the ground floor and commandeer Seth's attention with it's loud ring.  Seeing her chance to flee, Queen DaVille shoved Seth forward, causing his hand to slip on the trigger and fire in Garrett and Romeo's direction.  Seth quickly turned to try to stop Helen from leaving, but Adam lunged at him, causing Seth's arm to fire back and his trigger hand to excite another bullet, which connected with a target from behind.

EPISODE 300 The Hallandale Weston, Part 3: Death Has a Name

guest starring: Tim McElwee [Seth Stapleton]; Donna Mills [Queen Helen DaVille]; Dylan Bruce [Adam Weston]
« Billy told Crystal that he managed to track down Luxury Industries' former CEO, Ely Washington.  Crystal wondered if Ely was an avenue Billy should be pursuing, considering the man left him wide open for attack.  Billy figured it couldn't hurt to try.  

« At Leysdale Hospital, Matthew gave Dr. Chandler the greenlight to administer the antidote to Earl, despite some vocal opposition from Dalia.  Evelin reminded Dalia that they all wanted Earl to beat this.  Dalia suggested that Evelin's intentions were far more selfish from hers or Matthew's, but she would respect Matthew's decision.  Later that evening, an inevitable confrontation ensued as Dalia admitted to Evelin that she didn't like Evelin's presence around Earl, nor did she appreciate Evelin playing mother to her son.  Evelin explained to Dalia that she was simply offering a listening ear to Jason, and reminded the clearly scorned ex that her [Evelin] romantic intentions toward Earl were none of her business.

« As gunshots fired through the Hallandale Weston, Garrett was saved by Romeo's quick thinking while Malina wasn't so lucky.  Shaquanna rushed to her fallen friend's aide while Adam managed to overpower Seth.  Adam then made his way over to Malina after seeing her go down shortly after the second shot fired in her and Shaquanna's direction.  However, after using her powers to heal Malina's wound, Shaquanna revealed that the bullet only grazed Malina.  Malina, still in a state of shock and wonderment, knew different, but remained quiet.  Meanwhile, the crowd outside of the hotel began to make noise in light of the recent gunfire, forcing Lieutenant Rivera to send his men into the building.  As the officers swept through, they found the hostage situation had been diffused and apprehended an unconscious Seth. Meanwhile, Shaquanna and Malina made their way over to Garrett to make sure she was okay.  Garrett confirmed that she wasn't hit thanks to Romeo.  An officer then interrupted the group to question them about what happened.  Shaquanna agreed that she and Malina should go first since they were there practically the whole time.  While trying to help Leigh with her story on the hostage situation, Anton spied Malina across the room with an officer.  It was then he learned that Malina was in the hotel when Seth fired his gun and that she could have been killed.  Malina assured him that although her arm bothered her somewhat, she was fine.

« Back at Leysdale Hospital, Jay and Robin visited with the Lombard family in Samantha's hospital room.  They all delighted in memories of Samantha's Christmas party two years ago as Samantha eyes slowly began to open.  Brock was afraid to hope, but as her lips began to move, followed by words, he knew she was rejoining them.  Samantha noticed that her friend, Robin, was getting bigger and Jay joked about Robin soon having her own revenge when Samantha got pregnant.  Brock loved the idea and Samantha agreed it would be nice.  Robin's future son also took a vote, and Robin allowed Samantha to feel her baby kick for herself.  Although it took her a while, Samantha did feel the kick.  Shortly after, the Chief of Staff arrived and asked everyone to excuse themselves from the room while he checked up on Samantha.  Brock stayed behind, only to be shock by the news that Samantha was unable to feel any part of her body.  Delilah was able to help Samantha pinpoint the possible infection to when she acquired the blackadder36 antidote from the azalea.  Delilah and Chief Delacroix then left to gather information on the counteragent for the poison.  Meanwhile, Samantha berated herself for being so careless when trying to acquire the antidote.  Brock tried to convince her that the doctors were working to fix it, but her deteriorating condition made it difficult for her to believe.  As Brock continued to try to bestow her with hope, she made him promise not to forget what they shared.  Although he hated how final Samantha was sounding, he obliged her request and promised he wouldn't forget her and what they shared.  He then told her he was going to get a doctor.  As he left the room, Samantha's monitor began to flatline.  Moments after the medical team swept in to try to revive Samantha, Chief Delacroix delivered the crumbling news to Samantha's friends and family.  Samantha was dead.

[Ty Junior]

EPISODE 301

« As a new morning made its way into Hallandale, Derek was washed with regret for having said one word to Tara Banks, who printed a full-page story on the suspicions behind Ben Hemmings' plane crash and his antagonous relationship with Derek's wife, Shalia.  In light of all the blamed that had been passed around for Ben's death, Derek hoped that Shanna wouldn't see the article, but he knew she would hear about it eventually.  So he decided to be the one to break the news.  Shalia opted to make an appearance at work.  When Derek arrived at Shanna's art studio, he found Andrew making himself comfort.  His friend was dead, and this man was still sniffing around Ben's wife, and apparently, at Shanna's will.  Derek didn't like it, but he was sure Shanna wouldn't listen to anything he had to say about the company she was keeping, so he remained quiet and proceeded to tell her about the rag piece being collected off shelves across town as they speak.  Shanna couldn't help but find a little humor in it all, but she wasn't interested in reading anything Alexander Pierre had to say about her husband, much to Derek's relief.  It was then he revealed the real kicker of his visit -- he wanted to bring Shalia to Ben's funeral.  Although it was clear that the idea had no appeal whatsoever to her, Shanna agreed to respect his decision to bring Shalia.

« Lacreasha paid a visit to her soon to be father-in-law and demanded he stay away from her fiancé.  Alexander practically laughed in her face, not finding her the proper authority on what his son needed.  Kyle, however, arrived unexpectedly to return the engagement gifts his father had sent.  Although Alexander tried to explain his reasons for sending the gifts, Kyle had a hard time seeing it as anything but a payoff.  A bribe for him to forget all the ugliness that his father had brought his way.  Only thing was that Kyle found himself asking why.  Why after all this time was he ready to mend broken fences?  Alexander explained that a lot of it had to do with his newborn son or daughter out there who's life he was missing out on, and Kyle's sister, Widlin, who encouraged Alexander to extend an olive branch.  As Kyle found himself contemplating his father's admission, Lacreasha discovered the prototype of Alexander's coverage on the Hallandale Weston shooting, which mentioned Malina being injured.  When Lacreasha suggested that she and Kyle leave to check up on Malina, Alexander accused her of using it as an excuse to get Kyle away from him.  Lacreasha reminded him that although "friendship" was a foreign concept to him, Malina was their's.  In turn, he reminded her of what she did to her previous friend, and not to Kyle's liking.  Kyle advised him never to talk to his fiancee that way again, and told Lacreasha they were leaving, not willing to hear his father's half-ass apology.

« After overhearing a nurse discussing Samantha's passing last night, Matthew decided to check in on Dana, sure that she was probably beating herself up over what happened.  Although she said was fine, her tongue lashing with Chief Resident Delacroix proved otherwise.  Matthew offered to take her to the hospital cafeteria to enjoy a semi-decent meal.  The time away from the dreariness of the hospital lobby does her good.  When she and Matthew returned to Samantha's hospital room, they discovered that Brock had taken off.  Meanwhile, Jessica Chappell was devising strategy with her lawyer when she came across Brock, sitting alongside the pier with his feet dangling in the water and his face pointing toward the sun while his eyes remained closed.  Choosing not to distrub him, she slipped off in the opposite direction before he could even figure out she was even there. 

EPISODE 302

« News of the Masquerade Gala began to travel around Hallandale, leaving some excited and others with a bad taste.  Dylan, especially, had a difficult time buying the glamour and suspense of the evening considering his painfully non-existent love life.  Not too mention, the prospect of being a third wheel to Jennifer's rekindled romance with Romeo Sullivan had about as much appeal as a root canal.  After managing to scare Dylan into retreating to work, Jennifer invited Romeo over and asked if he wanted to escort her to the gala.  To no surprise, Romeo said yes.  Later that afternoon, Jennifer and Romeo had a run-in with Garrettlyn Michaels, who was feeling a bit dejected after her date prospect for the gala pretty much left her hanging.  However, while talking with Jennifer about whether or not she planned to attend the gala, Garrett received a text from Brian confirming that he would be happy to take her.

« After learning that Malina was shot at the Hallandale Weston, Lacreasha and Kyle showed up at her place bearing fruit. Malina was, of course, being looked after by Anton, who was happy to know that his girlfriend's injuries weren't serious and that she would be as good as new in a matter of days, although it became evident later that he was still very well haunted by how much worse things could have turned out had Malina really been shot.

« Back at Leysdale Hospital, things went from bad to worse for the Lombard family after Brock overheard Dana speaking to Matthew in confidence about knowing Samantha was going to die.  Compounding the fact that his own sister had pretty much sentenced his wife to death, Brock was livid that he was once again being sucked into his sister's orbit of tarot readings and universal phenomenon.  Although Dana tried to explain that she never meant to make Samantha's death about her connection to the universe, the explanation was muddled by Chief Delacroix' insistence that they move Samantha's body down to the morgue.  Brock, however, insisted on a few minutes alone with his wife before the doctor proceeded with the move.  Meanwhile, Matthew received a call from Crystal, who was hoping that her premonitions of death were not a forcast of the future.  As a result, when Matthew revealed that his brother was stable from a possible antidote, Crystal happily rejoiced that it must have all been a fluke as she informed Matthew of the strange possession that overcame her last night.  Matthew debated opening up the can of worms, but when Crystal took note of his continued silence over the phone, he revealed that Samantha had died last night.  Shortly after, he ended the call to tend to Dana, who was beginning to feel a disconnect from her brother as she watched him watching the woman he loved be shipped down to the morgue.

« Malina, Lacreasha and Kyle found themselves the recipients of invitations to the Masquerade Gala.  While Lacreasha and Malina seemed intrigued by the idea, Kyle was rather hesitant about attending, but conceded because Lacreasha seemed really gunho about going.

EPISODE 303

guest starring: Tim McElwee [Seth Stapleton]
« Sherri sought to make amends with her sister, only trouble was that Sandy continued to ignore her phone calls.  When Romain discovered Sandy was freezing out her sister, he advised her not to remain angry with Sherri for too long because she was the only family Sandy had left, and there was no telling when that might change beyond her control.  His touch of concern for her sister made Sandy realized that Romain was still in love with Sherri, and she wondered why he wasn't taking his own advice.  Romain explained that a part of him would always care for Sherri, but he's accepted that they can't be together.  Meanwhile, Sherri tried to forget her troubles after challenging her colleague, Jay Elkasinogen, to a run through the park.  Funny thing when she finally got around to talking, she realized that perhaps the reason she blew up at her sister over kissing Romain was because she never really forgave Sandy for decimating her marriage to Mitchell.

« Danielle was uncharacteristically late for her modeling practice shoot with Lucien, furthering his concerns that something was not right with her.  However, Danielle seemed to more than make up for her tardiness by giving a stellar performance on stage with Lucien.  The only person not impressed with their shoot is Vanessa, who undoubtedly noted the growing chemistry and fire between her secret flame and the woman she had grown to resent.  As a result, Vanessa decided it was time to up Danielle's dosage levels, but before she could return the star model's sports bottle to the frige, she was caught in the act by Danielle.

« On the other side of town, Leigh Gray met with Shaquanna Nichols at Cypress Plaza to interview with her regarding the craziness that was the Hallandale Weston hostage situation.  Shaquanna explained to her that she and Malina had no intention in getting into the middle of the situation, but that Seth pretty much coerced them into stay.  She also added that the whole hostage seemed to be in direct correlation to an allegation that was made against Seth by Queen DaVille.  After her interview with Shaquanna, Leigh realized she needed to hear the story from Seth himself.  Thankfully, she was good friend with one of the detectives.  Meanwhile, following a nightmare where she was forced to watch as Anton held her lifeless body and Shaquanna do nothing to save her, Malina tracked down Shaquanna at Cypress Plaza and asked for answers about what went down last night.  Under the promise of total discreation, Shaquanna revealed that she had the ability to heal and change forms due to a romantic linkage in her father's bloodline with intelligent life.  What intelligent life form, Shaquanna either didn't know or opted not to say.  Shaquanna also revealed that her healing techniques came with the ability to see through a person's past and present life experiences, which allowed her to understand why Malina had been so vehemently opposed to taking over Nichols' Beauticon.  Shortly after explaining what other details of Malina's life she had become privy too, Shaquanna received a mysterious note informing her that someone knew her secret.

EPISODE 304

guest starring: Tim McElwee [Seth Stapleton]; Donna Mills [Queen Helen DaVille]
« Shaquanna tried to found out from her messenger boy who sent her the anonymous note, but she only ended up pissing off one of his friend, who advised her to back off.  Malina, watching the scene from nearby, asked Shaquanna if everything was alright.  Shaquanna sort of adverted the question and asked her why it wouldn't be, which was when Malina followed up with questions about the mysterious note.  Shaquanna lied, and told Malina it was nothing before excusing herself from the table.  Although Malina suspected something was up, she realized she wasn't going to get much success and decided she should probably head back home before Anton arrived to find her gone.

« Back at the Hallandale PD holding cell, Seth explained to Leigh that Queen DaVille had prostituted herself to him, and that when he refused to sleep with her, the madame got angry and decided to make him pay by setting him up for a crime that he didn't commit.  He also added that he wasn't the first nor the last person the queen tried to solicit sexual favors from.  Strangely enough for Leigh, even though she knew he was guilty of holding Queen DaVille and the others hostage, something about him made her want to believe that his reasons were just in some way.  When he explained that his plan to scare Helen into a confession simply spiraled out of his control, she found herself sympathesizing with his plight.  The only way she could remain fully objective to the facts of this story was to speak with Queen DaVille.  Unlike her conversation with Seth, however, Leigh remained quite inquisitive of everything that Helen said.

« After making the mistake of asking Sandy Reynolds to the masquerade gala, Romain found himself in the epicenter of Cypress Millennium Mall as Sandy searched desperately for the perfect dress to wear on Saturday night.  While combing the racks, Sandy found herself in a game of tug of war over a black, elegant dress that was made for a goddess.  Akeira, not knowing that Sandy was the woman on the other end, decided not to waste her time on the dress and gave up the tug of war, sending Sandy and the dress flying into the next rack.  Against her better judgment, she decided to make sure the woman wasn't seriously hurt, only to learn that the woman was her husband's ex.  Sandy's reception of her was less than warm, and when she accused Akeira of holding onto other things that don't belong to her, Akeira reminded her that she was the one that pushed Mitchell away.  Before a fistfight could errupt, Mitchell stumbled upon his wife and was about to greet her with a loving kiss when he spotted Sandy just a few feet away.  As Akeira watched her husband's stolen glances with his ex, she reminded him that they needed to get back home to their son and Rochelle.  It took a minute, but he managed to snap his trance and bid Sandy a good night.  Romain, who came up just as Mitchell and Akiera were leaving, watched as Sandy salivated over the look of envy plastered across Akeira's face when she saw Mitchell taken in by Sandy's presence.  It was a thrilling validation, and Sandy had even more hos for the masquerade gala now.

« Outside of Cypress Millenium Mall, Mindy had yet another run-in literally with wealthy stranger, Morgan Hysterias.  The two enjoyed some back-to-back comic relief while he helped her load her shopping gear into the car.  Before taking off for work, she and Morgan made plans to attend the gala together.  Although she later felt the urge to call and connect with her old friend, Alfonso Morgan, Mindy still felt deeply betrayed by his decision to leave Hallandale and decided she could not reach out to him.

« After a head-on collision, Danielle discovered Vanessa carrying around a vial of mysterious drugs.  Although Vanessa claimed that they were vitamins, Danielle had a hard time believing her story and wondered if the drugs could be attributed to her recent behavior.  When Danielle went on to further suggest that Vanessa was putting the lives of those that she cared about at risk, Vanessa lost it and the conversation quickly reverted into one of her popular tantrums.  Only this time, Vanessa sealed it with an ominous little threat that haunted Danielle after the sneaky vixen left.  As Danielle played over the words in her mind, she wondered if she should go to Lucien regarding the drugs she found on Vanessa tonight.  Her thoughts are interrupted by the sight of a red, small cylinder capsule on her dressing room counter.  It looked like one of the "vitamins" that Vanessa was carrying around, only it really doesn't look or feel like a vitamin to Danielle.

EPISODE 305

« Darron ran into a hopeful Sandy Reynolds at Cypress Plaza.  The two discussed his concerns about her growing friendship with Romain, but Sandy assured him that she had no romantic designs on his best friend.  After all, she and Romain were both still working to get over their latest failed relationships.  Hearing those words from Sandy appeared to abate his concerns... temporarily.  After a long discussion with his sister about his marriage to Akeira Smith Desmores, Mitchell bumped into Sandy at the plaza.  While he tried remaining aloof with her, Sandy wouldn't stand for it, demanding he not treat her like a stranger.  In haste, Mitchell suggested that it would be poetic justice, but apologized minutes later when he realized how unfair it was to throw her past amnesia in her face.  He then made it painfully clear to her that he had moved on, and that she should let go any fantasy of them getting back together.  Meanwhile, Romain informed a clueless Darron that he and Sandy would be attending tomorrow gala's together, news that he didn't take to kindly after spying Sandy throwing herself at her ex.

« Anton showed his brother the ring he planned to use when he proposed to Malina at tomorrow gala's.  Anton also expressed the desire to have his brother and friends there for the big moment, but to his surprise, Dylan revealed that he was not attending the gala.  Although Anton tried to press him on the issue, Dylan remained firm in his decision and suggested that he look to other relatives, like Beau, for moral support.  Anton explained that it was likely Beau would be there since Leigh was coming, making it clear to Dylan that he could care two figs if Beau came or not.  Beau, who overheard Dylan advising his brother to give him a chance, became riled up after Anton accused him of trying to undermine his [Anton] relationship with Dylan, and suggested that Anton was the one who could not let go of the past.

« At HatcherKeller & Associates, Kendall intercepted a call from Dana, who was trying to get in touch with Royce.  Royce, however, was still out of town.  Noticing the recent slew of phone calls from members of the Lombard family, Kendall inquired about what was going on.  Dana informed her that Samantha had passed away a few nights ago, killing any urge the female exec had left to work.  All she could think about in the moments that followed was Royce.

[Ty Junior]

EPISODE 306

guest starring: James Brolin [Ely Washington]
« Royce returned from his business trip and was delivered a devastating blow when Kendall revealed to him that his sister was dead.  Refusing to believe the unspeakable news, Royce jumped into his car [Kendall right beside him] to find his sister.  When he finally arrived at the hospital, her ran into Dr. Erik Kerrigan, who presumed that Royce hadn't been told about Samantha's death.  After he broke the news to Royce, Erik realized that the raging lothario was in denial about his sister's passing.  Fortunately, Kendall was able to reach Royce before any physical harm could occur.  She then tried to convince Royce that Samantha wasn't coming back, but all he could see when he looked at her was misplaced pity.  Unfortunately, the same could not be said for what awaited him in the morgue.  Royce cried out as he saw his sister's green eyes, blonde hair and lifeless face.

« Mindy kept busy setting up for the masquerade gala in hopes of keeping her mind of the past.  Unfortunately for her, Crystal saw through her vain efforts and managed to get Mindy to open up about the pain and resentment she's been harboring over Alfonso's abrupt departure.  Meanwhile, Billy tracked down LI's former CEO for the lowdown on Morgan Hysterias.  However, there wasn't much Ely could tell Billy about Morgan.  Morgan had intervened at a time when Luxury Industries was in danger of going further under the belt as a result of the huge financial loss suffered by Fantasy Inc.'s inability to meet its invested market quota.  Despite Ely's attempt to smooth things over regarding Morgan, Billy remained convinced that something more was driving Morgan's decisions.

« Matthew advised Evelin to reconsider her decision to keep her feelings from Earl, who was slowly beginning to wake from his deep sleep.  Evelin, however, remained fearful that mixing love and friendship would only threaten their already cohesive bond.  Meanwhile, Dalia interrupted the two for some alone time with Earl.  As Dalia began to communicate with him, Earl started to regain consciousness.  Dalia called a nurse in, who officially gave Earl the clean bill of health.  His friends and family all gathered around him, overjoyed to learn he would be okay.

« Danielle expressed her concerns to Brett over a pill capsule she found in her dressing room.  While examining the capsule, Brett and Danielle were both surprised to find a white powdered substance hiding underneath.  Brett then phoned his cousin and asked her if she would look into finding out what the mysterious substance was.  Jessica hesitantly agreed.

EPISODE 307

guest starring: Geoffrey Ewing [Reverend Charles]
« Friends and family of the late Ben Hemmings gathered at St. Christ Cathedral to pay their last respects.  During the memorial service, Derek was less than thrilled to find his best friend's wife being comforted by a virtual stranger. Of course, Shanna was just as displeased to see Shalia, the woman responsible for her husband being on that plane, sitting among them as if Ben's death left her with any sense of loss.  Following the service, Derek tried to talk to Jessica about the mysterious Mr. Stokes, but before he could get anywhere with his questioning, Shanna interrupted. Choosing not to get into an argument over the people she was allowing into her inner circle, Derek made himself scarce in search of his wife, leaving Jessica to explain what the two had been discussing.  Meanwhile, Shalia found herself cornered by Andrew Stokes near the exit to the church.  After being reminded of her less than stellar efforts to keep the truth from her husband, Shalia told Andrew that she had no desire to associate herself with him any longer.  Andrew, however, was convinced that she would be back once the next crisis arose.  A suspicious Derek, catching a glimpse of Andrew and Shalia together just before his wife angrily stormed out of the church, began wondering what was going on between his wife and Shanna's new confidante.

« Earl was grateful to be alive and surrounded by all his loved ones.  Not wanting to upset his recovery, Matthew and Evelin decided to hold off on telling Earl about Samantha Keller Lombard's death.  Meanwhile, Royce had a tough time accepting that all that remained of his sister's spirit was a cold, stiff corpse.  Kendall wanted to reach out to him, but feared she would only elevate his boiling rage.  Royce eventually left the morgue, but felt compel not to leave his sister even though the sight of her on that slab sickened him.  Kendall tried to offer him support as he begun to crack, but Royce lashed out at her, saying that she had no idea the loss he had suffered.  He then walked off, asking Kendall not to follow him.  As he was walking through the hospital, he came across Erik and Delilah talking about Earl's recovery due to Samantha's valiant efforts.  All he could think about in the moments that followed was that his sister was dead, and that Earl would get another dose of fresh air.

« Back at his and Samantha's place, Brock dreamed about his exotic vacation get-a-way with his wife in Maui.  However, the dream turned sinister when Samantha ended up lost at sea.  Although Brock tried to comb every inch of the freezing waters, he could not find locate his wife.  Dana, who came across her unconscious brother when she found his home door slightly ajar, feared the worse and rushed to revive him.  It didn't take Brock long to come through, albeit delirious.  He was convinced that Samantha was still alive, but lost and waiting to be found.  Dana tried to tell him that he was having a nightmare, and that Samantha died two nights ago.  As she apologized for having to remind him of his wife's death, Brock told Dana it was because of her that Samantha was gone.

EPISODE 308 The Masquerade Gala, Part 1

guest starring: Vanessa Dorman [Diana]
« A night of suspense, glamour and mystery commenced as invited guests gathered at CF&A for the second annual masquerade gala.  Although he was Garrett's arm candy for the evening, it was obvious the moment Brian saw Jennifer again that it was her arm he wanted to be on tonight.  When Brian failed to focus on her or their friends, Garrett offered to call the evening off.  Brian refused, realizing what a jerk he was being to his friend and promised he would focus on having fun with her.  Meanwhile, Jennifer and Romeo continued to play kissy face with one another until Dylan showed up with Jennifer's friend, Nia.  Dylan explained that he had a change of mind about the gala, and ran into Nia on his way inside.  Since they both were arriving solo, they agreed to accompany one another.  Later during the evening, Dylan and Nia were excited to make their contributions to the renaming contest for CF&A.  Dylan's brother, Anton, along with Malina, Leigh, Beau, Kelley and Diana also hypothesized over a name submission.

« Lacreasha couldn't believe her and Kyle's rotten luck when they arrived at the party just before Alexander and his daughter, Widlin, could be seated.  Alexander continued to press his Kyle about accepting his olive branch, but Kyle maintained that tonight wasn't the night for such a decision.  Later, Lacreasha expressed her discontent with Alexander's supposed interest in Kyle to Anton and Malina.  Malina, at the risk of having her head chewed out, suggested that perhaps Alexander was genuine, noting that he's not as callous of a man as his mud racking journalistic tactics lead him to be.  Lacreasha, of course disagreed, and ascertained that Kyle would not be taking in his by his father's manipulation.  Kyle, on the other hand, feeling suffocated by all the talk and pressure to forgive or not forgive his father, broke down and admitted that he still saw Alexander as his father.  The announcement was enough to bring Lacreasha, Anton and Malina's analysis of the situation to a screeching halt.  Meanwhile, Malina and Lacreasha both noted that Shaquanna was on edge, unbeknownst to either that she was hiding a note that advised her to meet her mysterious messenger at the gala.  Ready for combat, she was also carrying a little some extra for safety measures.

« Bring the evening to a start, Crystal and Billy welcomed their guests to the gala before opening with the tragic news of Samantha Keller Lombard and Ben Hemmings's death.  They were joined by Robin and Jay Elkasinogen to light two 3x6 memorial candles in their honor, which they put up for display near the bar so that guests could offer their words of encouragement and faith to the love ones of the deceased.

EPISODE 309 The Masquerade Gala, Part 2

guest starring: Vanessa Dorman [Diana]
« After receiving a less than warm reception from Billy, Morgan was forced to reveal to Mindy that he was the new CEO of Luxury Industries.  Although she was somewhat surprised, Mindy didn't see the revelation as anything major, much to Billy's chagrin.  Billy maintained that Morgan was too knowledgeable about the ins and outs of Fantasy Inc. not to have known about Mindy's involvement with the company, despite a plausible explanation from Morgan.  Morgan, understandably upset, informed Billy that he was acting out of personal spite because he didn't agree with Morgan's business decision regarding Fantasy.  Dismissing the accusation, Billy told Morgan he was not welcomed in his restaurant.  Mindy, however, reminded her partner that she had as much right as he did to decide who should stay and go.  Begrudgingly, Billy dropped the matter and left Mindy to her defenses, not wanting to spend another second with the arrogant CEO.

« Suspicious of her father's true intent, Widlin warned Alexander not to play mind games with her brother if he wasn't sincere about making amends.  Alexander ascertained that his motives were sincere and that he wanted nothing more than for his family to be whole again, but that Kyle was very resistant to giving him a second chance, to which Alexander believed had to do in part with his fiancée, Lacreasha.  Widlin explained to her father that he needed to give Kyle time and not overwhelm him with meaningless words and gifts.  In addition, she advised him not to interfere with Kyle's relationship with Lacreasha, bringing to light the fact that she had not forgiven nor forgotten how Alexander dismantled her relationship with Darron.  To make the matters worse, Alexander later caught her watching Darron with Juliet, and callously told her that she should move on as well.  He went on to further insert his foot into his mouth by reminding her that it was her foolish indecision that led to Darron's decision to call it quits.  As a result, Widlin insisted he leave her alone.  

« Meanwhile, Lacreasha realized that Kyle's defenses against his father were beginning to weaken.  She struggled to remain objective while diligently reminding him of the man his father was and how far down on the scale he rated as any kind of father.  She then advised him to start analyzing the underlining situation regarding this sudden truce.  The idea that Alexander was toying with him for some unknown purpose saddened and infuriated Kyle.

« Shaquanna, Malina, Anton, Leigh, Beau, Kelley and Diana all headed to the magic chamber to see what the lure was all about.  Shaquanna, however, before stepping inside, received another cryptic note from her secret messenger.  While Malina inquired whether or not it was another "Get Well Soon" letter, Leigh assumed by the look on Shaquanna's face that it was love note.  Unfortunately for Shaquanna, they were both wrong.  Instead, it was a message from someone who had clearly been watching Shaquanna as the note informed her she was to abandon her group of friends in the chamber once she reached the fork in the maze and meet him.  To her surprise, he also informed her that her secret artillery [the loaded gun] had been disposed of.  Not wanting to alert her anxious friends to what was going on, Shaquana proceeded with the plan to enter the maze.  Further executing her secret messenger's plan, Shaquanna was able to elude her friends once they made a left at the fork in the maze.  

After passing the gawd awful stench in the nose dive, and the trap doors in the maniacal section, Malina noticed something, or rather someone, missing once she and her friends landed in the crazy mirrors section.  Shaquanna was no where to be found.  So the group backtracked through the maze to locate her, returning to the maniacal section of the maze, figuring that Shaquanna may have gotten caught in one of the trap doors.  While feeling around the nearby walls, Malina discovered a secret ejector that shifted her to the other side of the maze.  Malina shouted Shaquanna's name hoping she appear, but there was no response.  Anton, who was growing frustrated trying to locate the trap door that Malina must have stumbled onto, banged his fist against the walls and managed to unearth the passageway.  While Beau and Leigh was skeptic about the passageway, they followed an anxious Anton, who went sauntering in after Malina and Shaquanna.  Shaquanna, meanwhile, finally reached the end of the chamber and came face to face with her mysterious, yet familiar-looking messenger.

« Sherri, Robin and Jay discussed Sherri's desire to make amends with her sister.  The conversation, however, took a steep turn when Sherri found her elusive sister on the dance floor with Romain.  While Robin tried to offer Sherri a dignified exit, Sherri refused to leave, gawking at the potentially happy couple as they made their waltz across the dance floor.  Jay tried to offer a voice of reason to Sherri, suggesting that Romain and Sandy's date was purely platonic, but Sherri was too hurt by the fact that her sister was carrying on this flirtatious relationship with Romain in front of everyone in Hallandale to hear much of what he had to say.  Noting how visibly upset Sherri was getting, Robin and Jay rescue her from the embarrassment of watching Romain and Sandy by securing her exit from the party.  Sherri thanked them for interfering, and the couple drove the lone maiden home.  Meanwhile, after her dance with Romain, Sandy entertained Juliet while Darron shared a run-in with Widlin.  

« Brian and Garrettlyn paid their respects to Ben Hemmings and Samantha Lombard by inscribing their thoughts on the deceased's respective memorial candles.  While signing the candles, Garrett inscribed a quote from a woman she knew at her orphanage, bringing to light that she was adopted.  While talking about her time at the orphanage, Brian realized how different his life might have been had he never came to Hallandale.  Realizing the direct mark of his comment, Garrett advised Brian to talk to Jennifer.  

EPISODE 310 The Masquerade Gala, Part 3

« Brian, realizing that his relationship with Jennifer had become void of familiarity and security, suggested that the two take a break from one another. Jennifer was less than receptive of the idea, accusing Brian of being upset that she couldn't return his affections. Brian, more or less, accused her of being selfish for expecting him to sit by and watch as she continued her seemingly happy relationship with another man.

« Meanwhile, reformed gold digger Akeira Desmores informed Alexander that he could call off his search for her and their son, Roy Jr.; she was back in Hallandale. Thrilled at the prospect of having another son, Alexander asked Akeira to let him see Roy. Akeira, however, was vehemently opposed, despite his sob story about allowing one son to grow up without a father and not wishing to do the same with Roy. Her new husband, Mitchell, informed Alexander that he had nothing to worry about since Mitchell and Roy were bonding like father and son everyday.

« In the magic chamber, Shaquanna discovered that her secret messenger was none other than her father, Shaquil Nichols. Although Shaquanna tried to convince her father she was saving a woman's life when she used her healing techniques, her disapproving father could only see the potential danger she put their family in by behaving so recklessly. His convictions were further merited by the fact that she had not informed Malina of the possible changes that would occur as a result of her split-second decision to heal Malina's wound. In order to prevent another situation like this from occurring, Shaquil told his daughter they needed to leave Hallandale tonight. When his daughter refused, Shaquil had no choice but to intervene as Malina was very close to discovering them at the end of the maze.  Meanwhile, Malina, who was unsuccessful in her search for Shaquanna in the chamber maze, tried to call her friend's cell, but only got her voicemail. As the announcement for the last dance of the evening was made, Anton advised Malina not to worry and try to enjoy the rest of their evening. With the sounds of Tyrese Gibson playing in the background, Malina agreed. As their dance was coming toward a culmination, Anton proposed.

As the gala came to a wrap, Crystal, Billy and Mindy announced that their new endorsed name would be "Trio."

« Back at Leysdale Hospital, Royce visited with his former friend Earl, who was now in recovery thanks to Samantha's (Royce's sister) efforts in finding a counteragent for Earl's viral infection. Royce asked Earl what his new lease on life meant, hoping it would help him come to terms with his sister's death. Earl did say his outlook on things had changed, but before he could get to the bottom of Royce's solemn behavior, Matthew and Evelin walked in, scaring Royce off. Royce didn't make it very far, crumbling down to the floor outside of Earl's hospital room. He was eventually spotted outside the hospital by Kendall, and given a safe passage home. After learning of Samantha's heroic act and death, Earl made a prayer for Samantha and her loved ones, hoping that Royce would be able to reconcile the darkness in his heart.

« Rochelle, skipping out on an evening of glamour, visited her former friend and colleague, Kavina Shah, at Springfield Correctional.  The visit came as quite a surprise to Kavina, who hadn't seen Rochelle in over five months.  Of course, when Rochelle revealed that she was there to inquire about the night of Leonard's murder, the visit took an interesting turn.  Kavina maintained that despite whatever thoughts or recollections Rochelle was having about the night of Leonard's murder that Rochelle was not present when Kavina shot Leonard.  She further questioned why her friend was focusing on a night that should long be forgotten now that Kavina had been convicted.  The thing was, the more Kavina cried that stress was leading to Rochelle delusions about that night, the clearer images of that fateful night got in her head.  In fact, to psych out the details of the shooting, Rochelle began force feeding the lines of her encounter with Kavina from the night.  Consequently, Kavina became very agitated and her nurse demanded that Rochelle end her visit immediately.

[Ty Junior]

EPISODE 311

« A new morning had arisen in Hallandale, but the angst was far from gone.  After awakening to the reality that she had slept with Royce, Kendall's head went into overdrive over the implications of her one-night stand.  In a moment of intense panic, Kendall bolted quietly from his room and ended up at Springfield Correctional Facility, where she shared with her good friend Kavina Shah what went down between her and Royce last night.  Kavina, a huge proponent of a Royce and Kendall pairing, tried her best to appease Kendall's anxieties by reminding she and Royce reached out to one another in a moment of loss and nothing more had to come from it.  Somewhat appeased by Kavina's advice, Kendall headed to work as normal, only to discover a bouquet of mayflowers waiting for her in the office.  A few moments later, Royce came in, explaining they were his way of expressing thanks for all she did last night.  Kendall's mind, of course, went into overdrive again and Royce eventually picked up that she was not at ease around him after their tryst last night.  When he flat out told her that he wasn't expecting a fulltime commitment or anything from her, Kendall realized she was being silly and the two agreed to continue, business as usual.

« Dana was horrified to find her brother knocked unconscious on his bedroom door, a stench of booze in his wake.  She tried to caution him against over indulging himself in alcohol, but he explained to her that it was the only thing that made things right in his head.  As she continued to hark on about her concern, and the fact that she was here for him through the good times and the bad, he callously told her that Samantha was the one that upheld that role for him and that she could not take his place.  Gutted by her brother's words, Dana didn't even bother to follow him as he hoisted himself out of the room.  In an attempt to quiet the haunting voices in her head, Dana tried to spruce up Brock's apartment by doing some vacuuming, but it was no help.  As she is taking a load off, she spies the cruelest joke of all - her missing tarot card, which foretold the tragedy that would rip his brother's life apart. In a fit of rage and disillusionment, she picked up the card and immediately ripped it to shreds.

« Danielle had a brief run-in with Lucien at Cypress Plaza, where they discussed their last minutes jitters over the upcoming fashion show and the fact that the non-compete clause in Vanessa's contract would soon be up (i.e. the reason Vanessa hasn't been able to do any modeling work for H&B up until this point, thus, resulting in Danielle's recruitment).  After her talk with Lucien, Danielle raced to Leysdale Hospital to meet up with Brett, who arranged for her to meet with his cousin to get to the bottom of their pill mystery.  Jessica revealed that the pill contained amphetamine powder that was most likely purchased off the streets.  Even with the substance confirmed, Danielle had a hard time buying Vanessa as a druggy.  As she recalled how she came to discover the capsule, Brett beginning contemplating a more sinister alternative - that Vanessa was using it to spike Danielle's drinking water.  In an effort to prove his claim, Brett took Danielle back to her studio dressing room, where they acquired her sports bottle with the full intention of testing it for traces of amp.  Realizing that the chances were slim, Brett suggested that Danielle also submit a urine sample.

« Leigh Gray's article on the Hallandale Weston shooting hit stands, and the victim, Queen Helen DaVille, was none to please with Leigh's tell-all exclusive, that included Seth Stapleton's allegations that the wealthy socialite was performing tricks at the Hallandale Weston.  She demanded that the newbie journalist print a retraction, but Leigh refused, exciting a fury from Helen, who warned Leigh that she would be hearing from her lawyers.  Later that afternoon, Leigh dropped by the office to fill Kyle in on her recent encounter with Queen DaVille, only to interrupt yet another romantic interlude between him and Lacreasha.  Once Lacreasha and Kyle regained their bearings, Leigh informed them that she had a nasty encounter with Helen Daville.  To their amusement, Kyle then replayed a set of voicemails form the angry socialite demanding a retraction and Leigh's termination.  Kyle assured Leigh he had no intention of printing a retraction.

« Malina surprised her fiancé with an office lunch visit.  The two discussed her growing concern over the lack of contact from Shaquanna.  When Malina revealed that she thought she overheard Shaquanna speaking with her father in the chamber maze, Anton reasoned that perhaps things became dire at home and Shaquanna had to leave abruptly.  While it seemed plausible, Malina could not understand why no one saw either of them leave the chamber maze and why Shaquanna had no been in contact since then.

EPISODE 312

« The long awaited summer fashion show arrived as Danielle and Garrett prepared for their 15 minutes of fame.    While Garrett remained apprehensive about the evening ahead, Danielle's mind was elsewhere as she joined her sister in the arena's backstage room.  Picking up on her sister's tension, Michelle asked Danielle if everything was alright, and she remained tightlipped, not wanting to ruin the day.  The two are later joined by Danielle's ex, Brett.  After Michelle made her abrupt exit, Brett shared with Danielle the results of her lab test.  Upon realizing that they were indeed positive, the two debated how Danielle should proceed, but before any resolution could be reach, Michelle interrupted, letting the two know the show would convene shortly.  Meanwhile, Garrett, who got off to a bad start in round one, turned up the heat in her second act by modeling some very risque lingerie, definitely tipping the scale in her favor after Danielle and Lucien's duo.  Witnessing the fruits of their labor, Malina tried to call Shaquanna, but was dismayed to find that her line had been permanently disconnected.

Danielle, choosing to avoid a possible collision with Vanessa after her duo performance with Lucien, slipped into the audience with Brett, where he advised her not to let this woman get the best of her.  She's the one in the wrong.  As the two began drifting down memory lane, Brett received a phone call from his new girlfriend.  Realizing he won't be able to stay for her finally due to his girlfriend's singing gig, Brett handed over the test results he had been safe guarding and Danielle decided she should store them somewhere quickly for safe keeping.  When Danielle returned to her dressing room quarters, she managed to tuck away the lab results before being startled by Vanessa's presence.  Vanessa informed her that they were all worried when she disappeared, and that Lucien and Michelle were off searching for her.  Danielle quickly pointed out that she was fine, and attempted to shoo Vanessa off.  Vanessa, however, ignored the hint, blasting into Danielle for her lack of manners and obvious attempts at seducing Luicen.  Fed up, and looking to silence Vanessa, Danielle revealed that she knew Vanessa had been drugging her.

« Alexander met with his lawyer to discuss the custodial rights of his infant son, Roy.  High-profile attorney A. Ramsey Lakhan, however, refused to initiate the proceedings until Alexander lined up all his character witnesses, which include his daughter Widlin and son Kyle.  He also advised that Alexander to continue making inroads with Akeira, as it was imperative in order to establish her as an uncooperative parent.  Although Alexander hated giving his advice credence, he agreed to follow through with A's instructions.  As A was leaving, he ran into Lacreasha Dupree, who managed to sneak by the receptionist desk.  A was immediately taken with her, but their encounter was brief as Alexander overheard the ruckus outside his office and interrupted, resulting in A dashing off for the elevators.  Alexander then invited his future daughter-in-law into his office, which she does so reluctantly.  Searching for reasoning behind his attempt to mend bridges, Lacreasha listened on inquisitively as he explained that he simply wanted to reconnect with his son and restore his family.  Although she had a hard time refuting his arguments, Lacreasha continued to press on about the timing of it all.  Just when it seemed as if he might be making a breakthrough, his daughter Widlin barged in unannounced.  Lacreasha, possessing no further inclination to listen to Alexander's snow job, took the interruption as an opportunity to make her mistake.

« Sandy Reynolds was hopeful about the start of her new week until she spied Mitchell and his new instant family a couple feet away at Cypress Plaza.  Unable to tear herself away from the scene, Sandy looked on as her Juliet Staggerfield snuck upon her.  Juliet joyously shared with Sandy that she and Darron were headed out tonight before inquiring about the couple that Sandy had been gawking at.  Sandy offered Juliet the clipped version, but as she discussed more and more the memories of what was, she became disheartened and quickly swapped the subject to Juliet's encounter with Clairvoyant Delfina.  Although Sandy believed in the existence of a higher power out there, she refused to believe that Widlin was still a threat to Juliet's relationship and advised her to keep her faith in Darron.  Akeira Smith Santana, who happened to overhear the tail end of the conversation, had different plans.

[Ty Junior]

Episode  313

guest starring: Nicole Pulliam [Tara Banks]
« Danielle reached her breaking point with Vanessa, and revealed to the jealous and unhinged model that she knew all about the drugs.  Vanessa, however, didn't flinch as she was convinced Lucien would never believe Danielle’s word over hers-- and she was right.  A skeptical Lucien demanded to know why Danielle was making all these false allegations, while Michelle began to realize the reality of her sister's claims after reading the irrefutable lab results.  In a surprise twist, Vanessa confessed to Lucien that it was all true, and that she wanted to stop Danielle from coming between them. The underlining issue becoming quite clear, Lucien asked for Danielle and Michelle to give him a moment alone with Vanessa, where he attempted to set her straight about his strictly platonic relationship with Danielle.  He also explained that he thought they came to terms with the fact that the only thing he could offer her was friendship, one that he holds very deeply.  Unfortunately, that did little to comfort her, especially with the image of him and Danielle kissing still so fresh in her mind.  Danielle, meanwhile, was upset to hear her sister emphasizing with Vanessa, especially when all the hard work she put into the fashion show would go unrewarded thanks to that very woman.

« Derek and Shanna shared an awkward encounter at Ben’s gravesite.  While Shanna managed to remain cordial toward him, they both knew she still held him partially responsible for the events leading up to Ben’s death.  After she left, Derek had a heart-to-heart with Ben.  During his one-sided conversation, he confessed to his friend that he was no longer sure he could trust his wife.   He believed Shalia was lying to him about the connection between her and Andrew, and that made him wary of what else she could possibly be hiding from him.  Meanwhile, Shanna returned to her art studio, where she once again lost herself in her paintings.  Andrew Stokes stopped by unannounced and got Shanna to open up to him.  As the two bonded over their respective losses, Shanna realized she shouldn’t be leaning on Andrew and suggested he leave.  Just before he left, Andrew exchanged a good-bye kiss on her cheek, and reading more into the moment, proceeded to initiate a physical lip lock, which took the widow by surprise.  Shaken by the fact that her deceased husband’s body was barely cold in the ground and she was kissing another man, Shanna demanded Andrew leave before breaking down in tears.

« Akeira decided to prey on Juliet’s insecurities about Darron’s feelings for his ex- by warning her that Widlin still had designs on Darron, and that both are bonded by a volatile secret, the same secret that nearly caused Sandy Reynolds her life.  Although alarmed by the new information, Juliet had no reason to trust Akeira, and every reason to trust that Widlin was no threat to what she and Darron had.  Meanwhile, Darron was looking forward to jump starting his evening with Juliet when he found Widlin Pierre stranded on the side of the road.  While helping her change her flat tire, the two got into a discussion about her father and mistakes that can’t be undone.  Darron had a difficult time believing that Alexander was done screwing with his daughter’s life, and although he knew it wasn’t his place, he cautioned her against opening her heart to him again.  Deeply moved that he still cared, Widlin took Darron’s warning to heart and told him she would be careful.  With her tire fixed, the two parted ways.

Episode 314

« A drunken Brock Lombard was taken into police custody.  Ralph instructed the commanding officer to undo his brother’s handcuffs.  Ralph then worked on sobering up his brother, who broke down in his arms, clearly still dealing with the implications of his wife's death.

« Their brother-in-law, Royce, tried to focus on planning a service for his sister, but picking out a casket and funeral arrangements proved to be an agonizing task.  Malina and Anton dropped by his apartment to officially offer their condolences, and the three played catch up, discussing the Hallandale Weston’ shooting and the Masquerade Gala.  Malina once again found herself unknowingly tapping into the inner thoughts of those around her.  Later that evening, Royce ventured out to the Hallandale Pier, where he ran into a much sober Brock.  The two grew closer as they discussed their own guilt over Samantha’s death and how they would move on from there.

« Dana continued to wrestle with her guilt over her sister-in-law’s death, and even Matthew couldn’t get through to her.  She felt like she could no longer help her brother, and that her tarot cards were the root cause.  Matthew tried to remind her that her tarot was gift, one that he felt brought them together.  However, she could not acknowledge the good they had accomplished with their gifts, only the fact that her family was in shambles because they failed to stop a warning the cards had delivered.  Given the circumstances at the time, Matthew wondered if she blamed him too, but she denied it.  Even so, he could see by the way she was lashing out at the cards and even him, to an extent, that she was consuming herself in her own grief and guilt.  Before leaving her home, he advised Dana to rediscover her faith because wallowing in self-pity and guilt would not bring back Samantha or help her brother.

« Crystal, Mindy and Billy discussed business at Trio, which included two new tropical drink blends that Billy had concocted himself.  Crystal could tell that he put a great amount of time and energy into the project, and was delighted to see him moving past the ugliness with Morgan Hysterias and the LI takeover.  Unfortunately, that feeling was short-lived.  After overhearing Mindy and Crystal discussing what Mindy found so appealing about Morgan, Billy lost it and reminded his friend and business partner that Morgan’s attack to their business was personal, and that if she had any loyalty, she would not be fraternizing with him.  Although Mindy knew he was speaking out of haste and anger, the fact that he would say such a thing hurt her deeply and she made it clear to him that he should keep his nose out of her personal life from now on.  After Mindy stormed out, Crystal talked her boyfriend down and advised him not to let this thing with Morgan Hysterias affect his business relationship with Mindy.

« While Matthew’s departing message got to her, Dana could not bring herself to embrace her tarot cards and locked them in one of her dresser drawers, with the intention of never using them again.  Meanwhile, both Crystal and Matthew both had concurrent visions of an impending car crash that could mean danger to someone they knew.

Episode 315

guest starring: Nicole Pulliam [Tara Banks]
« Vanessa was joyously anticipating her return to the modeling scene when she was cornered by half a dozen reporters, who wanted to know the full scoop on her contentious relationship with Danielle Marquez.  Vanessa, however, refused to answer the reporters’ questions, especially when the overly anxious Tara Banks began grilling her about the allegations that she was a druggist.  An angry Vanessa later arrived at the modeling studio, where she proceeded to verbally lash out at Danielle, blaming her for her recent encounter with the reporters.  Danielle, however, denied such involvement and resented the fact that Vanessa was blaming her for a situation that was her own doing.  Lucien intervened, taking Vanessa into one of the dressing rooms, where she continued to rant about Danielle.  Once finished, Lucien reminded Vanessa that she was the one that committed a crime, and that Danielle had every right to be upset.  Vanessa realized that was true, but she could not see past the fact that he was rushing to Danielle’s defense, nor the fact that he saw Danielle as a woman to be desire-- desirable enough to kiss.

« Darron and Widlin had another run-in, this time at the park, where he challenged her to a 3-lap jog.  The two worked up quite a sweat, but Widlin came out the reigning successor, which meant that Darren now owed her a dinner date.  Before they could make official plans, a curious Juliet interrupted.  Darron found himself on guard while trying to explain to Juliet that he and Widlin were just hanging out, and she appeared to understand, at least until Widlin took off.  Then she began making assumptions about the socialite’s real intentions and feelings for Darron.  When he learned that all these questions were brought on by a visit from Akeira Smith Desmores, Darron slipped off to do a little warning of his own.  Juliet, meanwhile, comforted an upset Sandy, who wasn’t sure she could continue to withstand Mitchell’s rejection.

« Akeira was unsuccessful in her attempts to seduce her husband, who was distracted by his recent encounter with his ex, Sandy Reynolds, at the gym.  For his wife's benefit, he made out that it was work-related, but even Akeira could tell by the way that he recoiled from her touch that more was going on.  Yet she didn't press.  Mitchell eventually left to meet up with his new client, who turned out to be Derek Guittierrez.  Derek was anxious to finish what his best friend started, and consulted with Mitchell to dig up everything he could find on his wife.  Meanwhile, Akeira was thrown for a loop when Darron Wolek showed up at her doorstep unannounced.  Believing she could handle him, Akeira was shaken to her core when Darron threatened to sic child services on her if she did not back off of Juliet and the people he cared about it.

[Ty Junior]

Episode 316

« Friends and family of the late Samantha Keller Lombard gathered at St. Christ Cathedral to pay their respects.  Royce tried to hold it together for the sake of his in-laws, especially Brock, who was still coming to terms with the fact that his wife was now gone.  Although he knew the day was going to be emotionally draining, Royce also felt an unexplained sense of hope.

« Despite his brother's qualms, Earl insisted on attending Samantha's memorial service.  Royce was not particularly pleased to see his former best friend, but in the spirit of his late sister, he allowed Earl to enter the church.  Upon entering the church, Matthew and Earl spotted the Lombard siblings at Samantha's casket.  Earl could tell that Matthew wanted to approach Dana, but Matthew insisted that he wanted to give her space to be with her brothers – clearly a sign that his last encounter with Dana was fresh in his mind.  During the service, Crystal, Romain, Robin, Earl and Royce each shared words on behalf of Samantha.  Royce's speech clearly communicated his anger and heartache over not being with his sister in her final moments.  To everyone's surprise, Brock opted not to speak.  He just couldn't after hearing the finality in his brother-in-law's own words.  The burial proved even more difficult, as he bore witness to the scene of his wife's casket being lowered into the ground, followed by the sound of the dirt being piled onto what would now be her grave.  It was all becoming a little too real for Brock.  When Malina and Anton later approached the widower at the reception to express their condolescences, Brock finally had enough and ran out.  Dana attempted to go after him, but her brother Ralph insisted that they leave him to his own devices.

« At the reception, Evelin approached Earl about his relocation plans, and whether or not he had broken the news to his brother yet.  He explained that recent events had made that difficult, and that although he was anxious to be near his son, he didn't like the idea of leaving Matthew alone.  Nonetheless, he recognized that his brother was more than capable of looking after himself; and resolved to tell him soon.  A suspicious Matthew, who overheard the tail end of their conversation, inquired about what was going on.  Before he could get a straight answer out of his brother, Crystal Perez interrupted their conversation, desperate to find Dana.  Crystal told Matthew about her vision of Brock drowning, and he raced off with her to find Dana.  Dana, who stepped away from the reception to get some air, returned to find Matthew and Crystal coming straight for her.  After they broke the news to her about the vision, Dana anxiously ran off for the Hallandale Pier.  Royce, catching sight of the three of them racing off, approached Earl and Evelin about what was going on.

« After a visit from his deceased wife, Brock completely lost control of his emotions and ended up in the ocean beneath the Hallandale Pier.  While swimming ferociously in the water, his body tired out and he began to sink as Dana, Crystal and Matthew arrived on scene.  Dana went after him frantically, Matthew following quickly behind in order to ensure her safety.  It was rather touch and go for a couple minutes as Matthew and Dana dived in and out of the water in an attempt to find Brock.  Eventually, they recovered his body and pulled him up to shore.  Dana then proceeded to resuscitate him, and did after the second try.  Brock was still disoriented as he told his audience that he needed to get Samantha, attempting to go back out into the ocean.  Dana, pulled him back, reminding him once more that Samantha was gone.  Brock then broke down in his sister's arms, finally appearing to come to terms with the painful reality of it all.

[Ty Junior]

Episode 317
Released in conjunction with the AP Network's Inaugural Writer Swap.

« During his investigation into Shalia's past, Mitchell uncovered that Derek's wife lied about where she was from, and had no documented to work history in the US.  He was also unable to account for a five year gap between Shalia's time in Coral Springs and the time she arrived in Hallandale.  Mitchell shared all this information with a flabbergasted Derek, and expressed his plans to fly to Louisiana to dig into Shalia's connection to Andrew Stokes, convinced it would tie into the five year gap.  In the midst of their discussion, Shalia arrived and Mitchell quickly took off to avoid setting off any red flags.  Shalia, however, was more focused on re-connecting with her husband, feeling the two had been neglecting their communal spousal duties.  In her seduction attempt, she convinced Derek to lock down the shop and the two made love.  As he lied in bed afterwards, Derek realized he was married to a complete stranger.

« It had been a week since Samantha's memorial service, and both Jessica and Royce were still dealing with the implications of her death.  The two caught up in her office, and then over lunch, discussing his relationship with Kendall and the fact that her ex- husband (William) was applying for parole.  Royce informed Jessica that he does have a romantic interest in Kendall, but felt every time they moved forward, she would ultimately pull back.  Jessica wasn't sure entering into a romance with Kendall was the best thing for Royce, and advised him to proceed with caution.  Meanwhile, Kendall paid her old friend, Kavina, a visit at the rehabilitation center.  The two discussed Samantha's funeral, as well as Kendall's resistance against pursuing a relationship with Royce.  Kendall does not offer any concrete reasons, maintaining that she and Royce are just not right for one another, chemistry or not.  Batting a zero in the matchmaking department, Kavina shared the news of her possible release next month.

« After relishing over the news of Kavina's possible release, Kendall stopped by Cypress Plaza and discovered Royce having lunch with Jessica.  Undeniably curious, she approached the two friends and welcomed herself to an invitation to join them.  Neither objected; Royce offered to get her a soup and sandwich instead.  Jessica proceeded to set Kendall straight on the fact that she and Royce were friends, and Kendall quickly back pedaled, saying it was no big deal.  Jessica, however, doesn't bite, warning her that whatever she's feeling for Royce, she better not hurt Royce.

« Elsewhere in the plaza, Lucien was reflecting on his ill-fated kiss with Danielle after his recent argument with Vanessa.  He knew for a long time that he desired men more than women.  He and Danielle reasoned at the time they were both simply caught up in the moment, and since nothing came from that, he's pretty confident that much was still true.  While he continued to reflect on the kiss, Jennifer Everest happened upon him, requesting to take his vacant seat if he wasn't expecting anyone else.  Lucien agreed.  Jennifer tried to make small talk with him, having recognized him from the fashion show, but he admitted that he was considerably distracted.  Feeling at ease with her, he explained that his best friend was in love with her and he didn't feel the same way, which Jennifer could relate to given the recent rift in her relationship with Brian due to his own unrequited feelings for her.  Lucien resolved that he didn't want these feelings to tear apart his relationship with Vanessa, and suggested that Jennifer not give up on Brian either.

« Danielle elicited Joy Gannon's help in filing a temporary restraining order against Vanessa.  She hoped the move would make it clear to her rival that she was done rolling over and playing dead.   While Joy understood Danielle's reasons for sticking around and filing the suit, she believed that the model could easily make a career for herself outside of H&B Fashions.   Following their consultation, Danielle returned to the art studio to continue practicing for her next big showing.   Lo and behold, Vanessa was stalking around in the dark, and the two got into another heated argument.  When Danielle poked too closely to Vanessa's fears that Lucien was relying more and more on her, Vanessa retaliated by slapping her across the face.  Danielle contemplated reciprocating the action, but then realized she now had enough grounds to prove that Vanessa was a threat.

[Ty Junior]

Episode 318 - Battle Lines, Part I

« Darron and Juliet invited Sandy and Romain to a nice night out at the Rendezvous Shack, sharing laughs and drinks while playing a few rounds of 20 questions. After a break from their party games, Darron and Juliet heated things up on the dance floor until an envious Widlin Pierre intervened, swooping herself in between the couple.  Darron scolded her for her actions, but fulfilled his ex- dance request, realizing it couldn't hurt since Juliet was already otherwise occupied.  Later that evening, Juliet vented to Sandy about what happened on the dance floor, and came to the realization that Widlin was trying to send her message, one she refused to take lying down.  When she spotted Widlin heading toward the ladies' restrooms, Juliet decided to confront her boyfriend's old flame.

« Lacreasha waited with Leigh at Garden Ridges Park for her fiance to arrive.  After all the ugliness with the Queen DaVille's libel suit and Alexander Pierre's desire to make inroads with his son, Lacreasha wanted to get Kyle's mind off of that for one night.  Little did she know that Kyle got his signals crossed and ended up on the wrong side of the park, where he would interject himself into the middle of a disagreement between Akeira and Alexander.

« On the east end of the park, Akeira got into argument with Alexander after he found her with their son unattended.  Kyle, who was trying to locate his fiancee, intervened when he saw that his father was blockading Akeira's efforts to leave with his baby brother.  When he learned that the two were fighting over Alexander's desire to be a part of his son's life, Kyle suggested that Akeira give Alexander what he wanted so they could put an end to this long night.  It was a small consolation prize for him, but Alexander took the 60 seconds he was granted to dote over his son.  Once his time was up, Akeira wasted no time retrieving her son's carriage and vacating the park.  Kyle was about to follow suit to find Lacreasha, but Alexander insisted he not leave.

« Shanna snuck into her art studio to retrieve some art supplies, but on her way out, ran into Andrew Stokes, who she had been avoiding for the last three weeks since their ill-fated kiss.  He brought up what happened, and explained that his feelings had grew deeper than friendship and gratitude.  Shanna was appalled, and reminded him that she just buried her husband not long ago, and could not possibly entertain a relationship with him: now or in the future.  She insisted that the two forget that kiss ever happen.